GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney today announced that its series of empowering #DreamBigPrincess
photographs will be going on display as an exhibit at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York City through the first week of January in
collaboration with Girl Up and UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund. The
images captured by nineteen female photographers from fifteen countries
showcase the inspiring stories of real-world girls and women, as part of
Disney’s Dream Big, Princess initiative launched in 2016, which
taps into the power of Disney Princess stories to encourage kids to
follow their dreams.

“This initiative is about celebrating the positive impact of strong
female role models, whether that’s Moana, Tiana or one of the amazing
real-world subjects of the #DreamBigPrincess images. We’re thrilled with
the response to the campaign and excited to partner with Girl Up, at the
United Nations Foundation to showcase these powerful images to such an
international audience,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer
Products and Interactive Media.

The display will feature the compelling images from the campaign’s
award-winning photographers and their subjects, who have turned their
dreams into reality. From the youngest ever speaker at the UN to a
gold-medal-winning Chinese Paralympian, the founder of the first female
cycling team in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, a teenage author of a STEM coding
book for kids, and a young surf champion from Brazil, the images
spotlight a diverse range of stories to connect with kids and families
around the world.

As well as inspiring kids with positive images and the stories behind
them, the campaign aimed to make a tangible difference for girls who
face challenges in achieving their dreams, through a collaboration with
Girl Up, at the United Nations Foundation. For each like or post of a
#DreamBigPrincess photo during the campaign timeframe, Disney donated $1
to Girl Up to support girls’ leadership and empowerment. Since their
release in August, the images have been liked and shared millions of
times online, enabling Disney to donate $1 million to Girl Up.

“#DreamBigPrincess really caught the collective imagination and we are
so grateful to everyone who liked, shared or created their own inspiring
image to support the campaign,” comments Girl Up Director, Melissa
Kilby. “The $1 million will help give thousands of girls around the
globe the tools they need to achieve their goals and advocate on behalf
of others.”

The campaign brought the #DreamBigPrincess message to life in a
multitude of ways, including highlighting women who’ve achieved success
in the face of adversity, young Girl Up Teen Advisors who’ve already
helped make a positive impact on the world, and girls at play who
illustrate the importance of imagination in childhood. Thousands of
people also posted their own inspiring images using #DreamBigPrincess, a
select number of which will be exhibited alongside the original
photographs at the United Nations and supported by UNICEF, which works
to protect children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to
expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. A core
component is to advance gender equality and the rights of girls.

“Imagine a world where every girl follows her dream, and is safe,
healthy, and can go to school,” said Paloma Escudero, Director of
Communications for UNICEF. “It is our collective duty to help make this
world a reality and empower girls to reach their full potential.”

In 2016, Disney launched “Dream Big, Princess”, a campaign that
encourages kids everywhere to dream big by highlighting key story
moments and the inspiring qualities that each Disney Princess showcases
through her adventures, such as Merida’s bravery, Cinderella’s kindness
or Tiana’s perseverance. While each princess has her own unique and
admirable qualities, what they all have in common is resilience and an
ability to triumph over adversity to make their dreams come true. The
Dream Big, Princess content series, which runs across Disney TV and
digital networks globally, brings together a host of empowered moments
from beloved Disney movies with the stories of real-life young role
models, who have dreamed big and achieved their goals to show kids
what’s possible.

The exhibit is proudly presented by UNICEF, United Nations Foundation
Girl Up, and Disney, and co-hosted by the Permanent Missions of Brazil,
Germany, India, and Kenya. The exhibit will be open for public viewing
in the UN visitors lobby via pre-scheduled guided tours Monday-Friday or
on the weekends via a UN security pass. For more details on hours,
location and security clearance please visit http://visit.un.org/content/location.

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates,
is a leading diversified international entertainment and media
enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and
resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products and interactive
media. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $55.6
billion in its Fiscal Year 2016.

Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl campaign,
supports the empowerment of girls everywhere. Since its launch in 2010,
Girl Up has funded UN programs that promote the health, safety,
education, and leadership of girls in developing countries and built a
community of over half a million passionate advocates. Our girl leaders,
representing more than 1800 Girl Up Clubs in 90 countries, stand up,
speak up, and rise up to support the hardest to reach girls living in
places where it is hardest to be a girl. Learn more at GirlUp.org.

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to
address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the
United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative
campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and
resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was
created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and
philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic,
corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at unfoundation.org.

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the
world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and
territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better
world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for
children visit unicef.org.